1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of one-way clutches. More particularly, this invention pertains to preventing clutch roller disengagement in a one-way clutch during a rotating non-driven state in an automotive transmission application.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The present invention relates to a one-way roller clutch. One-way clutches are utilized for a wide variety of purposes, including automotive automatic transmission applications. Such clutches are employed to provide unidirectional drive between a driving and a driven member while permitting the driven member to overrun the driving member or to rotate in an opposite direction without interference from the driving member. One form of such a clutch employs an annular inner member having a cylindrical outer surface. Provided adjacent the inner member is a coaxial annular outer member with an annular inner surface having a plurality of wedging surfaces. A caging member encircles the inner member and defines a number of recesses in which individual balls or rollers are received between the inner and outer members. A roller biasing spring is positioned within each recess of the caging member. The biasing springs urge the balls or rollers out of the recess and into contact with the wedging surface of the outer member.
In such an one-way clutch, as the balls or rollers are urged against the wedging surface of the outer member, the balls or rollers are forced into engagement with the cylindrical surface of the inner member, providing a driving relationship in one rotational direction while permitting the overrunning condition while the members rotate in the opposite direction.
In prior art designs, while both shafts rotate in the same direction, if the driving shaft ceases to drive the driven shaft, but both shafts continue to rotate in the same direction, the outer member may rotate at a higher speed than the inner member. This difference in speed may result in the roller or ball to no longer being wedged between the inner and outer members. As the outer surface rotates at a higher speed than the inner race, the wedging surface forces the ball or roller at high speed into the recess of the caging member, causing the spring to be compressed. At such high speeds, the force from the roller may damage the spring or displace the spring from within the recess of the caging member. It would be thus be desirable to provide a means to prevent the roller from becoming disengaged from between the surfaces of the inner and outer members.